"Quiel" strengthened as it turned into a severe tropical storm, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday.

According to Pagasa, ''Quiel'' intensified as it gained maximum winds of 95 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 115 kilometers per hour.

On Wednesday, it had maximum winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of 90 kilometers per hour.

"Between today and tomorrow morning, light to moderate with occasional heavy rains will be experienced over Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands and Apayao," said the weather bureau in a severe weather bulletin.

"Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will affect Kalinga, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, Mindoro Provinces, Antique, Iloilo and Guimaras," it added.

Benison Estareja, Pagasa weather specialist, said ''Quiel'' is expected to intensify as it leave the PAR on Friday.

"Quiel is forecasted to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow (Friday) evening. Within 24 hours, as it head towards Vietnam, the severe tropical storm can possibly turn into a typhoon," Estareja said in a report.

Metro Manila might experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers over the weekend due to the tail end of cold front, as explained by Estajera.

Residents in the affected areas are advised to take precautions and were urged to coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices in case of landslides and flooding.

The weather bureau said sea travel is still risky over northern and western seaboard of Luzon and seaboards of Mindanao due to potentially rough sea conditions.

Meanwhile, Typhoon ''Halong'' was detected by Pagasa outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Though it has winds of up to 175 kilometers per hour and gusts of 215 kilometers per hour, ''Halong'' is not expected to enter PAR as it moves north northeast. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS